This year’s Christmas lights switch on in Diss will be taking place on Saturday, December 1 in a change to the usual Thursday night in an attempt to attract visitors with children who would otherwise have to leave earlier to get there children home to bed in time for school the next day.

The entertainments are set to start at 4pm with live music in the Market Place including Michael Dann’s Discord, Diss Junior School choir, Diss Singstart, Hannah Shore, Savannah Love and Zoom, as well as a couple of acts which are yet to be confirmed.

There will also be competitions taking place between the music acts and a range of food and gift stalls in the Market Place, including Suffolk Soap Company, Ickle-G Toys, selling handmade wooden toys and baby toys, Candle and Accs stall, a hog roast stall, roasted chestnut stall and a cupcake stall.

Live street entertainment will be provided by children’s entertainer Bazza Bizarre, two Christmas stilt walkers, a christmas juggler and Santa’s helpers handing out sweets.

The parade into the town centre will start at 5.45pm and will feature a Rolls Royce bringing the Carnival King and Queen into town, while Santa will be arriving on a vintage fire engine supplied by Bressingham Steam and Gardens, while a tank supplied by Norfolk Tank Museum will bring the Mayor into town.

The lights will be switched on by fundraiser Desmond Tebble, who was nominated by the public for his work with Diss Town FC.

Last year, the switch on nearly did not happen because nobody was willing to coordinate it, but local businesses and community groups rallied round to save the festive spectacular.

Hundreds of townsfolk gathered in the Market Place as singer Savannah Love and former footballers, Paul Gibbs and Tom Casey, who played in Diss Town’s FA Vase winning run of 1994, joined revellers for the celebrations.